DAVID O'Leary has challenged Villa to "act big and be big" in the summer to return to Midland dominance.

The Villa boss is thought to have around #15million to spend on reinforcements with Thomas Hitzlsperger and Vaclav Drobny set to deplete numbers further.

The futures of Luke Moore and Carlton Cole are also far from certain.

O'Leary wants Kevin Phillips for #2million and Patrik Berger on a free for starters and is more optimistic than ever that big names will follow.

He said: "I think the money was needed. With no disrespect to anyone else, we're the big club in the Midlands - but you can't live on tradition.

"We've got to act big and be big.

"It wasn't a case of lies - the chairman was totally up front with me --and the challenge was to try to do the job on what we had.

"I've been trying to buy certain players but now I can buy better quality players to move the club on.

"That's what we've got to do. We're an old, traditional club who everyone wants to beat and hopefully we can now build and be that club again.

"The money came out of the blue --it was a total surprise.

"I was told on the Thursday and I don't know what happened. Next day was Friday April 1 - and I wondered whether it was a wind-up!"

O'Leary hopes Villa can sign big enough names to shock the doubters and he has admitted to having to make a complete U-turn on his plans. "I just hope we can attract players and people will say: 'I never thought we could get him'," he said

"I've been getting a lot of: 'I'll believe that when I see it' kind of stuff but time will tell.

"I don't know whether I'll be able to get them but I'll be able to revisit targets I had dismissed because I thought I had to got to enter the free transfer market."

He believes big-name targets - and he has been a long-term admirer of the likes of Scott Parker, Robert Huth and Mikkel Forssell - would have a positive impact.

He said: "It would be great if we can enlarge the squad. I think the players would love some real quality players to bounce off.

"They want someone to look up to.

"I want our players to think: 'I never thought they'd come to Villa.'

"I heard someone say when we tried to sign Paul Robinson, the Spurs and former Leeds keeper: 'I never thought he'd come to Villa.'

"We've got to stop that and bring the expectancy back.

"I've noticed on the staff's faces that they've had a fantastic lift."

Juan Pablo Angel is in already in full training despite admitting he has a sore ankle.

Martin Laursen missed training yesterday but should be fit for the weekend trip to Southampton despite saying: "It's actually not particularly good with my knee. I can't train during the weeks and have to take painkillers to be able to play matches at all."

Gavin McCann may play for the reserves on Thursday at Nottingham Forest to put himself in the frame for St Mary's.